Double-grip sliding-jaw wrench



Nu. 6l6,579. Patented Dec. 27, I898.

- J. J. A. MILLER.

DOUBLE vGRIP SLIDING JAW WRENCH. I (Application filed Aug. 6, 1898.) (NoModel.)

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.IOllX JACOB ADOLF MILLER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DOUBLE-GRIP SLlDlNG-JAW WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,579, dated December27, 1898.

Application filed August 6,1898.

T aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, J onx J noon AnoLF MIL-LER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, inthe county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Double-Grip Sliding-Jaw \Vrenches; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in nut, bolt, and pipe wrenches;and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a double-gripsliding-jaw wrench in which the movable jaw is slidably moved on thewrench-bar by one hand of an operator and placed against the nut, bolt,or pipe to be turned and in which the movable jaw when set against anobject will lock itself with a double grip to the wrench-bar, and,second, to provide a simple, durable, and quick-setting wrench, I attainthese objectsby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench embodying myinvention, showing a vertical central section through the movable jaw.Fig. 2 is a top plan View of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa perspective view of thesliding jaw. Fig. 4c is a perspective View of the gripping-lever. Fig. 5is an end elevation of the fixed jaw, showing a removable stationary jawbolted to the end of the wrench-bar and represents in this respect amodification of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of Fig.5, showing a fragment of the wrench-bar.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 2 designates the wrench-bar, on the endof which I preferably form integral with the bar a stationary jaw On thebar I mount a movable jaw 4:. It is provided with a square hole 5, theroof and floor of which slope at an oblique angle to the vertical axisof the body of the jaw and form two oppositely-disposed pawls 0 and 7 atthe points which engage the opposite sides of the bar. These slopingwalls are arranged substantially parallel with one an- Serial No.687,945. (No model.)

other and with the roof-wall arranged with its lower end, which I willterm the upper pawl 6 of the jaw, toward the handle end of the wrenchand in engagement with a ratchettooth rack 8, cut in the top of thewrench-bar, its diverging slope from the top of the bar forming aclearancespace which allows the top of the jaw to be tipped toward thefixed jaw far enough to raise the pawl edge out of the ratchet-teeth.The bottom pawl 7 of this jaw is formed by the sloping bottom of thehole 5 similar to the pawl 6. The pawl engages a ratchet-tooth rack 9,cut into the under side of the wrench-bar. This ratchetrack may bedispensed with, if desired, however. The clearance-space formed by theslope of the bottom of the hole allows the pawlpoint to be raised out ofthe teeth of the rack 9 when the jaw is tipped toward the fixed jaw ofthe wrench.

Below the wrench-barI pivot to the heel of the sliding jaw agripping-lever 10 by arivet 11, and below the rivet I place a spring 12in a recess 13, which expansively bears against the lever near its lowerend, which depends below the spring and is preferably curved toward thefixed jaw. The top 14 of this lever is arranged to bear at 15resiliently against the teeth, while the opposite end 17 of the topportion is beveled on top to allow the lever to move away from thewrench-bar when its handle end is moved toward the fixed jaw. This leveroperates to hold the sliding jaw normally in a vertical position on thewrench-bar, as its spring forces its top portion against the under sideof the bar and draws both of the gripping-pawls into engagement with theteeth, and in order to slip the jaw along the bar it is necessary totrip this lever by applying a finger to its lower end and move it so asto throw its top end away from the bar and then tip the jaw toward thefixed jaw far enough to raise the pawls clear of the tops of theratchet-teeth, when it can be moved easilyalong the bar andis simplymoved against any nut, bolt, or pipe it is de sired to use it on, andthe lever, when released, moves up against the bar and draws the pawlsinto the rachet-teeth.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I illustrate the fixed jaw as an independent memberfrom the wrench-bar and removably secured to it, and while I may use anyconvenient method of attaching the fixed jaw to the wrench-bar, such aspinning or threading it to the end, Ipreferably attach it in-thefollowing manner: Through the fixed jaw I form a square hole 18, and onthe end of the wrench-bar I form a square end 19 and fit it into thehole 18. A threaded end is formed at the outer end of the squareportion, to which is threaded a nut 20, which is screwed against the jawand clamps it against the shoulder 21. The jaw is thus removably securedin a fixed position on the wrenchbar, and when it becomes worn,battered, or broken from use may be easily removed and replaced by a newjaw. Upon the opposing faces of both jaws I cut oppositely-disposedteeth 22, which are adapted to hold an object placed between themagainst slipping. Upon the opposite end of the wrench-bar from the jaw Isecure in any convenient manner a suitable handle 23.

My improved wrench is very simple in construction and is quickly set andchanged to engage nuts and pipes and bolts of dilferent sizes, and itpossesses an advantage over wrenches of the screw-and-nut type in use,inasmuch as wrenches of similar lengths almost the whole length of thewrench-bar can be utilized by the jaws and about double the distancebetween the jaws is obtained, thus enabling them to engage muchlargernuts, bolts, and pipes than other wrenches of the same lengths.

against the wrench -bar and hold the said pawl-points in normalengagement with said toothed rack and said jaw in a vertical position,substantially as described.

2. The combination in a wrench, of a wrench-bar having a fixed jaw and ahandle and ratchet-teeth in its top and bottom edges and a sliding jawarranged to slide back and forth on said wrench-bar and arranged to gripthe ratchet-teeth of the top and bottom edges of said wrench-bar when inoperative position and a spring-controlled lever-bar arranged to holdsaid sliding jaw in operative vertical position on said bar,substantially as described.

The combination of the wrench-barhaving ratchet-teeth on its oppositeedges with a fixed jaw removably secured to the end of said wrench-barand a movable jaw slidably mounted on said wrench-bar and arranged toengage said ratchet-teeth at diagonally opposite points of the aperturein said jaw through which said wrench-bar passes and to hold said jawagainst slipping back when in engagement with an object, and aspring-controlled lever arranged to resiliently hold said jaw normallyin operative position, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the wrench-barprovided with ratchet-teeth andhaving a fixed jaw, a jaw slidable on said wrench-bar and adapted to belocked at any desired pointin the length of said bar to saidratchet-teeth, with a grip-lever pivoted to said sliding jaw and aspring arranged to hold said lever in resilient contact with the underside of said wrench-bar and adapted to hold said sliding jaw inoperative position on said bar and in engagement with saidratchet-teeth, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JACOB ADOLF MILLER.

Witnesses:

CLAUDE A. DUNN, BEssIE THoMPsoN.

